Sculpturing process



Feb. 22,1927. 1,618,804

A. BONTEMPI SCULPTURING YROCESS Filed Ggf.. 2l,l 1922 4 Sheets-5hee l ATTORN EY Feb. 22, 1921. K 1,618,804

A. BONTEMPI SGULPTURING PROCESS Fim: oct. 21, 1922 4 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb.' 22,1921. 19618,@

A. BONTEMP! SCULTURING PROCESS Filed oct. 21, 1922 '4 slams-sheen@ Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

AUGUSTUS IBONTEMPI, F COYTESVILLE, NEW JERSEY. i

SCULPTURING PROCESS.

Application filed October 21, 1922. Serial No. 596,006.

'My invention relates to a process of sculp-- turing. r

Sculpturing machines have heretofore been made having a mechanically actuated cutting tool guided to move in consonance with a tracking member or linger moved in contact with the surface of the three dimeni sional object, as a bust, statue or the like being reproduced. Withy such machines it is necessary that the al object which is being reproduced shall .actually be ipresent and in luse for tracking urposes during the entire operation of carving the replica or reproduction. Furthermore, with such machines it is d iiiicult to obtain a good degree of precision in the copy because of the fact that the original statue or other three dimensional object being reproduced and the replica thereof mustv be separately supported and separately dis- -pla'ced or moved with respect to the tracing member and the carving tool respectively. Such` separate support and relative movement give rise to difficulties of manipulation and frequently lead to inaccuracies yin the copies produced. Furthermore, other ob]ec tions have been encountered whichhave interfered with. such former apparatus going into extensive use, for example, vibration imparted through the mechanical control system from the rapidly rotating carving tool, which is necessarily subject to vibration, is imparted to the tracking tool, making it difficult or impossible for the operator to guide the trackingtool properly on the surface of the original statue or model while the carving operation is going on. To overcome these and other difficulties, I have devised a process of mechanical reproduc tion of sculptures or other three dimensional bodies wherein the steps of mechanical sculpture are divided into two stages.

The first stage consists of marking out on .a fiat surface, such as a sheet of paper` a series of profilo lines corresponding to the original or model to be reproduced. This series of profile lines I prefer to refer to collectively as the diagram. The second stage consists gram instead ofthe model for guiding the cutting tools in the actual carving operation of making the copy. 1

In this way the same apparatus which is used for marking the diagram is later used. in a reverse sense for carrying out the carving of the replica, so that the difficulties such original three dimension-v in using the lines of the diaas above referred to are entirely avoided. In carrying out the first stage the profiles of the model are followed or tracked by a suit able stylus having the same shape and dimensions as the carving tool to be later used and disposed in the plane of the profile. This stylus is adapted by suitable connections to actuate anmarking instrument as a pen or pencil to mark the corresponding profile lines on a plane surface. Arbitrary, though regular intervals, separate the planes of the various profiles followed on the model, as well as the corresponding profile lines marked on the diagram.

In the second stage of the operation the marble block or other raw material for sculpture replaces the original model. The carving tool replaces thetracking stylus of the same form and dimensions as the carving tool, and the movement of the carving tool is controlled by moving the pen or pencil or preferably a sharp pointed vinstrument put in the place of the pen or pencil and moved by the operator to follow the lines of the diagram.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view of a sculpturing machine, showing a paper diagram (usually blue-printed) mounted on vertical rollers, the pointerthe carving tool and the piece of Statuary in course of carving;

` Fig. 2 is a front view of the frame that carries the diagram, showing the pointer, the carving tool holder, and art of the device for the automatic ve-rtica displacement of the tool holder and pointer;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the frame that holds the piece of material to be carved, showing also the means for determining the various angular positions of the Work;

Fig. 4 shows a detail of the device for producing automatic movements of the tool holder and pointer holder;

Fig. 5 is a side View of a modified automatic sculpturing machine, where the paper diagram is replaced by a metallic or metal surfaced cylinder, on which a single, generally helical groove is sunk;

Fig. 6 shows a fragment of a paper diagram, where the record lines are spaced by degrees corresponding to successive small part rotations of the model on a vertical axis, and particularly useful in the case when the sculpture is generally round in horizontal cross-section;

Fig.- 'T shows a fragment of a paper diagram, the lines being spaced by fractions gram, where the lines are etched into grooves, said plate to be used either flat or curved aroun a cylinder, as 1n the case when an automatic machine is used; and

Fi 9 is a diagrammatical view indicating iow a pantographie element may be used for enlarging or reducing the relief values of the curves;

Fig. comprises side views of the interchangeable feeler and carving tool respectively;

Fig. 11 comprises end views of the parts shown in Fig. 10'

Fig. 12 comprises sections of the parts shown in Figs. 10 and 11 taken on the lines 12-12, Fig. 10, and

Fig. 13 comprises side views of the interchangeable pointer and marking instrument.

The machine shown in Figs. 1-4 isa simple apparatus composed of three carriages moving one on another in thethree dimen sions of space.

The carving tool 1 is attached to a shaft 2 mounted in a horizontally movable primary carriage 3 that is fed forward and backward in the depth sense, relatively to the block 4 to be carved, said shaft 2 being driven at high speed by a flexible shaft 5. A screw 6, actuated by a handle 7 extending through a nut 8 fixed on the secondary carriage 11 referred to below and mounted to turn in the carria e 3 at 9 and 10, effects the forward and ackward movements of said carriage 3.

The primary carria 3 in its turn is mounted on a vertical movable secondary carriage 11, which includes the nut 8, there being a guide rod 12 attached to said primary carriage 3, which extends through the upper of two hollow blocks 13, 13, constituting a part of the secondary carriage 11. The secondary carriage 11 is mount-l ed on two vertical and parallel screwsl 14, 14* of the same pitch, extending through screw-threaded holes cut in the hollow blocks 31, 13", and said carriage 11 is further guided in its vertical movements by parallel guide rods 15, Which as well as screws 14, 14, are attached to the tertiary carriage 16.

The tertiary carria 16 comprises two blocks 17, 17", connecte by the vertically disposed guide rods 15, and 1s actuated to move horizontally by two horizontal and'. parallel screws 18, 18 of the same pitch, which are mounted to turn in the side posts 19, 19'* of the front frame 20.

The motion of the screws 14, 14'* for the secondary carriage are synchronized by pin- 22,` provided for that ions 21, 21, and an intervening idler 22, and when'it is desired to operate said screws 14 and 14 by hand, said screws may be actuated by a handle 23 attached to the idler purpose. It is preferred, however, to utilize for this purpose a power-driven mechanism consisting of inlons 24, 24, attached respectively to the ower ends of the screws 14, 14", which are respectively in mesh with pinions 25, 25n mounted to rotateon a shaft 26, there being disposed between said pinions 25, 25 a double-acting clutch 27 adapted to engage ratchet teeth on said pinions. This clutch is-splincd on the shaft 26, driven by a pul ley 26, and turns with it. Clutch 27 is actuatedl by a bell-crank lever 28 (which may be operated hy hand, if desired).

The bell-crank lever 28 may be operated by means of a snap'switch for clutch 27, the mechanism for this purpose consist-ing of alever 29 pivoted at ter 30 of said bell-crank lever 28, and forced to either side of its dead center by a spring 31. The bell-crank lever 28 has a slot 32 through which a pin 33, carried by the lever 29, extends, said slot permitting the initial movements of the lever 29 which places it on either side of its dead center, whereupon its movement to the opposite clutching relation for securing travel of the secondary carriage 11 in the opposite direction is completed by the spring 31.

The lever 29 is ivotally connected to a rod 34 having gui es 35 and carrying tappets 36, 36 secondary vertically movable) carriage 11, so that sai carriage 11, in moving up and down, may actuate said rod 34 and reverse the position of the clutch 27 to thereby reverse the vertical movements of said secondary carriage, as will be understood.

The profile lines of the model may be marked on a sheet of paper .37 extending from one of two rollers 38, 38 to the other, these rollers being attached to the tertiary carriage 16 and mcvinr with it. -When these lines are being formed the pointer 39 is replaced by amarking instrument as a pencil, penor the like 39, and the carving tool l 1s replaced by a simple blunt tracing instru ment, stylus or feeler 1 of the same dimensions as the carving tool. The diagram may `be formed by suitable adjustments of the handle 7 which cause the feeler l* to follow the course of successive profiles presented when the model is turned as from one angular position to another, the marking instrument 39'L marking such profile lines on the paper as the profiles of the model are followed bythe feeler moving on the model surface.

After each profile line has thus been marked on the diagram, the sheet 37 is moved to a new position in order that a the oscillatory cenlll extending into the path of the llt succeeding prole lline may be properl spaced from the preceding one. When al the desired profiles of the model have thus been traced in rofile lines in spaced relation on the said) sheet, the product will be what I have already designated collectively as the diagram corresponding to the particular model.

'To carve the'replica of the model this operation is reversed, the paper diagram` is placed'on the rollers, the marking instrument 39 is replaced by a shar tracking pointer 39, and the feeler or sty us 1* by a carving tool 1 of the same shape' and dimensions as the .feeler or stylus, except that the carving tool 1 is provided with one or more cutting edges 1" of such form that stylus`1 lits the track of material removedl bythe carvin tool, as shown in Figs. and 11 and in icated in dotted lines in Fig.- .12.v 'lhe carving tool 1 is guided in its work by the operator causin lthe tracking pointer 39 to travel the recor ed prole line on the paper diagram.

It will be observed that the production of the diagram and the subsequent formation of the replica. of the model, comprehend resultants of the vertical rectilinear movements of the secondary carriage 11, and the rectilinear movements of the primary Acarriage 3, and movements of the pointer 39 therewith over the sinuous lines of the diaram, and that these resultants are so qualied by the alterations in the successive angular positions of the work as to ei'ectuate the carving thereof in the required three dimensions. Time for the accurate manipulation of the pointer, is afforded by the rela-4 tively slow movements of the secondary carriaige 11.

he amplitudes of the step by step angular movements of the work'are measured spaced at intervals of minutes of a de-' gree ,as represented in Fig. 6 the dial 40 is turned to move the block or the like bein carved through a corresponding angle, eac time the carving tool is made to traverse a new profile. Zero position on the dial 40 coincides with the zero line on sheet 37.

If the product of the machine is to be a bas relief or flat scul ture, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, t e scale ,(47, Figs. 1 and 2) will indicate rectilinear dimensions entirely with any human assistance.

instead of degrees (see Fig. 7). The same machine may contain scales of both kinds, t-he rectilinear scale 47 being disposed at the top of the machine, and the tertiar carriage 16 having a pointer48 associate with sai scale, as shown in Fig. 2L

The tertiary carriage 16 is actuated by a ,handle 49, which is attached to one ofthe screws 18, 18, Athese screws being synchronized by a shaft 50 having, as its ends, pinions 51 meshing with pinions 52 fixed on said screws.

The operation of themachine is, simple and will be readily understood without ex'- tended explanation, the distinctive character of the invention being the segregation of the tracing operation from the carving opveration, and the production of a diagram delineating various profiles of a' model and `capable of being used as a guide for theo erator, who is engaged in manipulating til carving tool. Such a diagram offers no substantial resistance to impede the free movements ofthe feeler as it passes over the successive contours of the model, and the recording of the desired profiles may, therefore, be attained with great accuracy. Likewise, in carving the work, the o erator lis unhampered Vby the resistance o a feeler moving over a model, as was the case in previous sculpturing machines in which the tracing of the profilesof a model and the carving of a replica thereof were'simultaneous, the movements of the pointer along the lines of the diagram in the present device W0 being substantially unretarded and the resistance oiiered thereby being negligible.

The present invention also makes 1t possible to carve stone automatically, dispensing- For this purpose 'the diagrams of a Statuary model can be marked on metallic surfaces, from which they may be automatically reproduced in stone. Y

A metallic sheet, previously coated with 11") wax, or other acid-proof substance, may be substituted for the paper in making the diagram, and the tracer replaced by a steel stylus. With this arrangement, the record lines will be scraped off through the Wax, so as to make it possible to etch them into the metal, producing grooves of any desired depth.

In this case the consecutive lines are connected at the top and at the bottom, as shown 1l? in Fig. 8, thus making a diagram having a continuous single line. The lines c'an be etched in various ways, as, for example, by means of acids, or eleetrolytic processes, or the like. IThe metal diagrams can have various4 forms, as, for example, they may be flat, or curved on a cylinder.

In the carving stage of the work produced automatically from the metallic grooved diagram, the screw 6 that gives the depth 130 feed of the tool 1, is replaced by a plain rod freely slidable in its guide-holes, (such slidable red may also be used in making the diaffram) and the index 39 is replaced by a pointed steel stylus that extends into the guide lines, and is consequently guided by them in the vertical automatic motion of the tool carriage.

Instead oi a number of profile lines, a continuous helical line on a cylindrical surface can be used (Fig. 5), especially when the sculpture is round and without bold reliefs and depressions. If, when taking the diagram, the model is turned uniformly around its vertical axis, and a cylinder covered with paper or a metallic sheet, turns in synchronism therewith, while the blunt tracer and the marking point are fed slowly and uniformly in a vertical sense, a gener ally spiral line will be traced. The diagram cylinder is placed perpendicular to the axis of the model or the tracer is-.placed at the end o a crank-lever, so as to obtain the same result. The record line will thus appear of sinuous character, as shown in Fig. 5, while following a generali spiral course.

To show how a evice can perform the carving operation wholly automatically, I choose a case when a ooved metallic cylinder is used, instead o a flat plate.

Fig. 5 shows a bust 53 mounted on aspider clamp turned constantly and uniformly'by the pulley 54, through the worm and the gear 56. Such .rotary motion is transmitted f to a horizontal shaft 57 by means `oi'the bevel gears 58 and 59. This latter shaft, in its turn, transmits rotaryl motion to the vertical screw 60 through t e worm 61 and the gear 62, and to the vertical axis of the record cylinder 63, by means of the bevel gears 64 and 65. The tool holder 66 is raised and lowered by the screw 60, guided also by the column.67. The tool holding shaft has a key-way for the pulley 54', which is retained between the two sides of the tool holding frame. Thus, while the pulley 54 turns the tool shaft 68, it leaves tool shaft 68 free to move axially. The pulley 54 is driven from belt 54". y

A bell'crank lever 69 is pivoted at 70 on an extension of the tool holding frame 3. Its upper end has a slot that engages the stud 71 projecting from sleeve 72, which turns but does not slide on the tool shaft 68, being received between collars 7 3, 73. The movement of lever 69 and sleeve 72 moves the shaft 68 forward and backward.

The lower end of the lever 69 is similarly engaged with another sleeve 74 that runs along a guide-rod 75, which has, on the internal side a steel stylus 76 whose pointed end is guided in and actuated by the spiral groove line of the cylinder 77.

The working of t is'apparatus is as fol- 7 lows: While the block of material to be carved, and the diagram cylinder turn synchronously, the carving tool travels very slowly, say, from the top to the bottom, thus following agenerally spiral line. Such line will be smuous, according to the depressions and convexities of the model.

If the lower arm of the lever 69 is shorter than the other one, the groove lines will have sinuosities of less sharp character and the sliding of the guiding stylus will be easier, while the correspondin line carved on the bust will have the norma value. The same result can be obtained by using a larger cylinder. In any case the diagram and the replica must be made by using the same means, if an exact duplicate of the model is wanted.

When the sculpture hasi to proceed by degrees, that is by strata, in order to prevent the tool from cutting too deep into the marble, stone, wood or other ess may be divided into t o or more stages, b v using iirst a short toolix and increasing its length gradually up to t e normal. This applies also to the cases when flat diagrams are used, unless the blocks are previously roughened down by hander other means. In the case of the device represented in Fig. 1, such phasing of the worlrcan be obtained also by displacing forward the position of the pointer or shitting back the diagram.

The enlargements and reductions oi. the sculptures are easily obtained by making dimensional alterations on the diagrams by pantographic or photographic means. In the course of such operations `the relief values can be decreased or increased for many purposes by means of a modified pantograph, as shown in Fig. 9, also for reducing a full relier` sculpture into a bas relief, or vice versa.

It will be seen that numerous advantages are secured by the present invention. The production of the diagram or delineation on a preferably plane surface of proiiles or other elements ot' a three dimensional body, such as a statue, living person, or the like, is accomplished as an entirely distinct and separate step from the ceu-ving operation, which may be performed at any subsequent time or the diagram may merely be kept on hand ready for use in performing the carving operation whenever orders are obtained for the particular statuary subject delineated thereon. The step of making the diagram being thus separated from thc carving operation can be completed in a relatively short time, the production ot a statuary or copies of Statuary is made as precise and accurate as may bc desired 'without loss of artistic value, and with no distortions, such as may result from the carving operation being carried on simultaneously with tracing the model, the diagram may be used as man) times as required without any loss of acaterial, the proc- CII curacy from repeated use, which is a feature of great importance Where numerous copies.

are desired, as in the case of carved capitals or pedestals for columns and the .like and once the diagram is secured no further reference to the original is necessary, proportional effects can readily be secured as bas reliefs from statues of full relief and still other features of advantage are secured, which need not be set out in detail.

I claim:

The process of sculpturing, which comprises the steps of making a linear record representative of element lines of a threedimensional body as followed by a tracking 15 stylus of relatively blunt, rounded end formation, and thereafter performing the operation of carving al replicaof the body traced, with a rotary carving tool of substantially the same end formation as the tracing 20 AUGUSTUS BQNTEMPI, 

